Killer Psyche

In the second half of this two-part episode, retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong picks up where the nightmare left off. After escaping custody twice, Ted Bundy fled to Tallahassee, Florida, where his violence escalated to its most savage and frenzied, including a brutal late-night attack on the Chi Omega sorority house left two young women dead and three others savagely beaten, and weeks later, twelve-year-old Kimberly Leach became his youngest known victim. But Bundy's arrogance proved to be his final undoing, and when Florida authorities closed in, there would be no more escapes. Candice examines the trials that followed. They were spectacles unlike anything the American justice system had ever seen, the first to be televised nationally, presided over by a defendant who fired his attorneys, cross-examined witnesses, and proposed marriage on the stand, convinced to the end that his charm could beat the evidence. It couldn't. On January 24, 1989, after years of manipulation, confessions and last-minute attempts to trade victim locations for more time, Ted Bundy was executed in the electric chair at Florida State Prison-- finally, irrevocably stopped by the system he had spent his entire adult life outrunning.Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the first half of this two-part episode, retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong explores the disturbing case of Ted Bundy, one of the most notorious serial killers in American history. In the early 1970s, young women began vanishing from college campuses and sunlit streets across the Pacific Northwest. When the truth finally came to light, it revealed a killer unlike any other: a handsome, charming law student who weaponized trust itself, approaching his victims in broad daylight with a smile and a request for help. By the time investigators across multiple states connected the disappearances, the body count stretched from Washington to Utah to Colorado and beyond. Candice examines how a childhood built on secrets and identity deception, a devastating romantic rejection, and years of escalating paraphilic fantasy converged to create one of history's most organized and methodical predators, and how for Bundy, getting caught was never the end of anything — it was just the beginning.Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong examines the shocking murders of legendary Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michelle Singer Reiner. Candice walks through what investigators say happened during the final hours before the couple were found stabbed to death inside their Brentwood home, and why their own son, Nick Reiner, quickly became the prime suspect in the case. She breaks down the timeline of the killings, Nick’s movements after the crime, and the troubling history of addiction and severe mental health struggles that may play a central role in the investigation. Then, Candice is joined by former Los Angeles prosecutor and legal analyst Josh Ritter, who explains the legal process now unfolding, from Nick Reiner’s arraignment to the possibility of an insanity defense and whether prosecutors may seek the death penalty. Together they explore how courts evaluate competency, the difference between mental illness and legal insanity, and what evidence could ultimately determine whether this case ends in prison, a psychiatric institution, or a lengthy jury trial.Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Killer Psyche ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong examines the disturbing case of Mary Ann Cotton, the Victorian-era poisoner who used arsenic to systematically eliminate husbands, stepchildren, and even her own children across nearly two decades in Northeast England. Behind the facade of a grieving widow was a calculating killer who collected insurance payouts and cleared the path to her next financial and romantic opportunity with each death. Candice digs into what drove Mary Ann to view her own families as disposable and how her modus operandi and the time period allowed her to stay under the radar for so long -- killing at least 21 people in the process.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong examines the disturbing case of Westley Allan Dodd, a serial child killer who terrorized the Pacific Northwest in the late 1980s. Beneath his quiet, unassuming exterior lurked violent fantasies he meticulously documented, revealing a calculated escalation from voyeurism and assault to murder. As Dodd’s compulsions intensified and his need for control deepened, he carried out crimes that shocked communities and exposed the limits of rehabilitation. Candice explores the psychology of a sexual sadist, the warning signs that preceded his attacks, and how his own chilling confessions provided rare insight into the mind of a predator.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong examines the chilling case of Chris Watts, the seemingly devoted husband and father who killed his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two young daughters in 2018. Beneath the picture-perfect surface of their Colorado home was a troubling combination of financial pressure, marital discord, and a secret affair. And as Chris began envisioning a future unburdened by responsibility, emotional detachment and his own self-interest gave way to an act of irreversible violence. Candice explores the mindset of a family annihilator, the calculated calm Chris maintained as suspicion mounted, and how a desire for reinvention led to the destruction of his entire family.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong unpacks the disturbing case of Janie Lou Gibbs, a churchgoing mother whose quiet devotion masked a deadly secret. In 1960s Georgia, Janie poisoned her husband, her sons, and her infant grandchild – one by one – while their deaths were dismissed as illness and tragedy. Candice examines how trust, faith, and familiarity allowed Janie to hide in plain sight until an autopsy finally exposed the truth.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterNeed more Killer Psyche? With Wondery+, enjoy exclusive episodes, early access to new ones, and they’re always ad-free. Start your free trial in the Wondery App or visit wondery.app.link/TI5l5KzpDLb now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong dives into the devastating murder of Playboy model and rising star Dorothy Stratten by her estranged husband, Paul Snider, in 1980. As Dorothy’s career took off, Snider’s sense of insecurity and resentment grew, giving way to increasingly erratic and concerning behavior. And when Dorothy moved to reclaim her autonomy and step out from under his influence, Snider’s desperation turned violent. Candice explores how obsession, entitlement, and possessive rage culminated in the tragic killing of a young woman on the brink of stardom.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterNeed more Killer Psyche? With Wondery+, enjoy exclusive episodes, early access to new ones, and they’re always ad-free. Start your free trial in the Wondery App or visit wondery.app.link/TI5l5KzpDLb now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong examines the disturbing case of Donna Adelson, a domineering and deeply enmeshed mother whose obsessive need for control allegedly culminated in the murder-for-hire of her former son-in-law, Florida State University law professor Dan Markel. What began as a bitter custody dispute following Markel’s divorce from Adelson’s daughter, Wendi, escalated into a years-long campaign of manipulation, psychological warfare, and resentment fueled by Donna’s refusal to accept court-imposed boundaries. Candice explores how enmeshment, entitlement, and an intolerance for loss of control can distort family dynamics; and how a grandmother’s fixation on access and dominance ultimately led prosecutors to accuse her of orchestrating a deadly conspiracy that shattered an entire family.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterNeed more Killer Psyche? With Wondery+, enjoy exclusive episodes, early access to new ones, and they’re always ad-free. Start your free trial in the Wondery App or visit wondery.app.link/TI5l5KzpDLb now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong examines the chilling case of Arthur Gary Bishop, a devout Mormon and trusted member of his Utah community whose outward normalcy concealed a violent predator. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Bishop abducted and murdered at least five young boys in Salt Lake City, Utah. Known to those around him as quiet and unassuming, Bishop secretly harbored obsessive sexual fantasies and a deep need for control – and as his feelings intensified, those fantasies turned lethal. Candice explores how years of hidden obsession and unchecked compulsion ultimately erupted into a pattern of calculated, predatory violence, and how a killer hiding in plain sight was finally exposed.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.